Terrapin Beer Co. and Creature Comforts Brewing Co. are two popular breweries located in Athens, Georgia that are analyzed and compared in the document. Both breweries target a similar demographic of 21-45 year olds and use social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and websites/blogs to engage customers and promote events. While Terrapin has been established since 2002 and has a larger reach, Creature Comforts, founded in 2014, has made a name for itself locally in Athens and Atlanta through its unique branding and social media presence that focuses on customer interaction. The document provides an overview of each brewery's history, social media usage, sentiment analysis of online comments, and follower counts

1. Terrapin Beer Co.
vs.
Creature Comforts
The Battle of the Breweries

2. Table of Contents
• About the Industry…………………………………..3
• Executive Summary…………………………………4
• History
– Terrapin………………………………………………….......5
– Creature Comforts…………………………………..…….6
• Sentiment Analysis
– Terrapin……………………………………………………………7
– Creature Comforts……………………………………………..8
• Platform-by-Platform Overview
– Website and blog – Terrapin………………………………9
– Website and Blog – Creature Comforts……………...10
– Facebook – Terrapin………………………………………...11
– Facebook – Creature Comforts……………………….....12
– Twitter – Terrapin………………………………………..…..13
– Twitter – Creature Comforts…………………………..….14
– Instagram – Terrapin………………………………………..15
– Instagram – Creature Comforts... ………………………16
– Google+ – Terrapin…………………………………………..17
– Google+ – Creature Comforts………………………….…18
• Follower Breakdown……………………………….19
• Evaluation……………………………………………..20
• Evaluation Continued……………………………..21
• Guinness Book of World Record Winners...22

3. About The Industry
As of July 1, 2015, Georgia Senate Bill 63, the “Beer Jobs
Bill,” will allow craft breweries to charge for a tour and
offer beer as a souvenir. Depending on the price, 36
ounces of beer are allowed to be consumed on the
premise with an additional 72 ounces allowed to be
bottled and taken home. Although Georgia has a growing
craft beer industry, unfortunately it is one of only four
other states that prohibit direct-to-consumer beer sales.
These limitations originate from the Prohibition era, and
the 40+ microbreweries across the state of Georgia have
had enough. Historically, Creature Comforts and
Terrapin have joined together to rally support through
petitions and written letters in hopes of providing
freedom from Georgia brewery limitations. This creates a
unique dynamic between breweries; although they are
ultimately competing for business, they are also pushing
for the same goal: to gain the right to distribute product
directly to their consumers.

4. Executive Summary
Beer connoisseurs and casual drinkers alike from all over the country are familiar with
Terrapin and Creature Comforts. With very unique brands, establishment atmospheres
and beers, these two Athens breweries have made a highly distinguished name for
themselves in the world of craft beer. After speaking with tour staff at both breweries,
the target market of 21-45 year olds is generally the same for Terrapin and Creature
Comforts. Both breweries have considerable involvement on their social platforms,
and they turn to these platforms when rallying attention around events, new releases,
or news in the beer industry.
After researching their social presence, I’ve chosen to analyze the website/blog,
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Google+ accounts for both Terrapin and Creature
Comforts. The reason behind my analysis of these platforms was the shared presence
from both beer brands. Since Terrapin entered the business 12 years earlier than
Creature, a shift in social media usage seems to have created a divide in efforts. It is
interesting to note that Terrapin turns to YouTube to show behind the scenes footage
of the brewing process while Creature Comforts does not even operate on the YouTube
platform, but rather prefers to give customers an up-close and personal look at the
brewing process using Snapchat. Because of their “generation gap,” if you will, the two
breweries have taken to social media in unique yet still highly effective ways.

5. Love at First Sip
Year Founded 2002
Employees ~100
Production 18,500/year
Distribution GA, AL, FL, NJ, SC,
TN, VA, WVA, PR
Distinguished
Brews
Rye, Golden Ale,
Hopsecutioner,
Liquid Bliss, and
HI-5
After many years of home brewing, John Cochran
met Spike Buckowski at his job with an Atlanta
microbrewery in 1998. The two toyed with the idea
of opening a brewery in Athens, GA and spent the
next three years unsuccessfully pitching their
business plans in hopes of gaining investors. John
and Spike introduced Terrapin’s Rye Pale Ale at the
Classic City Brew Fest in 2002 and later that year
won first place at the Great American Beer Festival
in Denver, CO. This win opened the door to
distribution opportunities back in Georgia. In
2006, after a generous $800,000 from Athens
investors, Terrapin was able to lease a facility to
begin pouring for beer-loving Athenians.
John and Spike thrive on their passion for the
diversity of beer styles and aim to bring unique and
unconventional flavors to beer lovers throughout
the U.S.
With distribution throughout the east coast and
recently expanded to Puerto Rico, Terrapin has a
massive reach that extends far beyond its humble
Athens roots.

6. Love at First Sip
Year Founded 2014
Employees 25
Production <15,000
Distribution Athens and Atlanta
Distinguished
Brews
Tropicália, Athena,
Kokobuni,
Reclaimed Rye
With diverse backgrounds in craft and home
brewing, David Stein, Adam Beauchamp, and
Derek Imes came together with a common passion:
beer. In early 2014, the three experienced
brewmasters converted the spacious former Snow
Tire Co. building in downtown Athens, GA into a
rustic brewery where they desired to fuel their
passions and enjoy some of the “creature comforts
of life.” Chris Herron joined the CCBC team in early
2014 as CEO given his extensive financial
background in the alcohol industry. The annual
Twilight bike race in downtown Athens this past
April marked the one year anniversary of Creature
Comforts’ first pour.
Creature Comforts Brewing Co. gathers its
inspiration and creativity from curiosity. With its
brand comes its well known manifesto: “Crave
Curiosity.” CCBC staff thrive on improvement and
innovation through pursuit of their passions.
Currently, Creature Comforts distributes its beer
throughout restaurants and retail establishments in
Athens and Atlanta.

7. Sentiment AnalysisAfter comparing five days’ results on Social Mention, I calculated the average sentiment
towards Terrapin Beer. Each calculation was taking at a different time of day to account
for possible outliers. Given both brands are inherently nouns, a note should be made
about the potential inaccuracy of these numbers.
35%
Strength
17:0
Sentiment
65%
Passion
12%
Reach
• Strength is calculated by dividing phrase
mentions by total possible mentions. This means
there is a 35% likelihood that Terrapin Beer Co. is
being mentioned on social media.
• Sentiment is the ratio of generally positive to
generally negative comments on the web. This
means for every 17 positive comments about
Terrapin, there are 0 negative comments.
• Passion is the likelihood that people talk
repeatedly about the brand on social media. This
means there is a 65% likelihood that people will
talk about Terrapin again.
• Reach is the number of unique individuals
divided by the total number of individuals talking
about a brand. For Terrapin, this number is 12%.

8. Sentiment AnalysisAfter comparing five days’ results on Social Mention, I calculated the average sentiment
towards Creature Comforts Brewing Co. Each calculation was taking at a different time
of day to account for possible outliers. Given both brands are inherently nouns, a note
should be made about the potential inaccuracy of these numbers.
39%
Strength
20:1
Sentiment
9%
Passion
50%
Reach
• Strength is calculated by dividing phrase
mentions by total possible mentions. This means
there is a 39% likelihood that Creature Comforts
Brewing is being mentioned on social media.
• Sentiment is the ratio of generally positive to
generally negative comments on the web. This
means for every 20 positive comments about
Creature Comforts, there is one negative
comment.
• Passion is the likelihood that people talk
repeatedly about the brand on social media. This
means there is a 9% likelihood that people will
talk about Creature Comforts again.
• Reach is the number of unique individuals
divided by the total number of individuals talking
about a brand. For Creature Comforts, this
number is 50%.

9. Terrapin’s website is filled with earthy-toned, robust images that reflect the brand’s
down-to-earth, adventurous spirit. Terrapin is known for two distinct features: their
“hoppy” beers and their unique signature flavors such as Liquid Lunch, a peanut butter
and jelly porter. They take these distinctions to heart by developing an interactive website
that immediately encourages the navigator to learn more about their beers. Their site also
showcases a portal back to their other social platforms including Facebook, Google+,
Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr. Terrapin’s site also features a plethora of operational,
historical, and beer-related information, including a FAQ page, to address all levels of
beer connoisseur concerns. When evaluating a brewery’s website, however, it’s essential
to notice how they promote their merchandise. Terrapin’s signature turtle logo is
recognized all over Athens and the Southeast, and they have considerable merchandise
available for purchase via their website. With vibrant images of each product offering, it
does not surprise me to hear that Terrapin does a considerable amount of online sales.
Terrapin’s variation of a blog is more of an in-depth description of each unique offered
brew, whether year round, seasonal, collaboration, or side project. The brews are
categorized into separate posts, making the interface easy to navigate and locate desired
information. This page includes a rolling description, all the way down to the ABV of each
Terrapin beer, making it easier for customers to educate themselves before (or after)
tasting Terrapin’s beer at their brewery or purchasing their beer in-store.
website
blog

10. website
Upon landing on Creature Comforts’ website, the customer is instantly overwhelmed by a
moody, suave, even alluring layout. With a prime location in Downtown Athens, Creature
Comforts aims to draw in the downtown types, namely the social butterfly students and
the townies. The clean and organized interface of CCBC’s website enchants this audience
and places all desired information directly in front of the customer. Not surprisingly,
though, Creature’s beer is showcased front and center. With vivid images of young folks
chatting over a cold one in the rustic brewery, Creature Comforts’ homepage is enough to
make a customer want to learn more. By navigating the various tabs, customers can learn
more about CCBC’s Year Round, Seasonal, and Limited Release brews. The “Events” tab
allows customers to learn about upcoming tours and gatherings, including the Athens
Farmer’s Market which is held at CCBC on Wednesdays. For those customers seeking a
wedding venue, Creature’s “Event Hosting” tab provides more information as to go about
booking a date. There is even a page dedicated to exposing customers to the “Crave
Curiosity” manifesto of Creature Comforts. This phrase encourages people from all walks
of life to try new things, which they declare makes for an all-around better life.
CCBC’s blog is a platform dedicated to telling the unique story behind the brewery’s news,
events, and upcoming beer releases. It is a home base dedicated to uniting beer lovers
from all over, as the page is filled with photos of Athenians enjoying one of Creature
Comforts’ signature brews. The blog is updated monthly and shared on their outside
social platforms including Instagram and Facebook.
blog

11. In conjunction with their website,
Terrapin’s Facebook is bursting with
hoppy green imagery. At first glance,
Terrapin’s cover photo is a promotion for
an upcoming event, The Hop Harvest
Festival. The hero image is laced with
information about the festival, and directly
underneath, Terrapin utilizes the “Sign
Up” button feature that allows customers
to sign up for the Terrapin newsletter.
Terrapin’s profile picture appropriately
brands the brewery by placing their logo
overlaid with a cold one. With a pinned
post at the top of their page, Terrapin
highlights a behind the scenes video of
their brewing process, and a few scrolls
down will reveal captivating imagery of
their signature green beer cans.
Additionally, Terrapin composes posts 3-4
times per day, engaging likers by creating
events, videos, and informative posts, and
the page is extremely adamant about
responding to comments.

12. By showcasing their logo as a profile
picture, Creature Comforts immediately
creates a consistent brand on Facebook.
In keeping relevant with the fall trend of
pumpkins, CC’s seasonal cover photo
features a Creature brew amidst
pumpkins. A few scrolls down their page
reveal simplistic yet vibrant images of
limited batch brews such as cherry
grenadine Athena. Creature Comforts
thrives on humanized images of both
patrons and tour staff enjoying the
familial, community aspect of beer. CCBC
uses its page to inform customers of
upcoming events, promotions, and their
well-known #CuriousTuesday brews,
which feature a single barrel of beer only
offered on the second day of the school
week. With numerous reviews and ratings,
it’s surprising to note that Creature does
not respond to its loyal customer base of
beer lovers. This is one area from which
the brewery could most certainly benefit.

13. Terrapin Beer Co. is just as active on Twitter as they are on
Facebook, especially around this time of the year as they have
the annual Hop Harvest Festival to promote. With an average
of 5-10 tweets per day leading up to the event and over 10
tweets on the day of the event, Terrapin was able to rally beer
lovers and create powerful buzz around Athens for this
“hoppy” tradition. Posts are unique and varying in nature
from quoted tweets to photos of new brew releases to
promotions that remind their followers to enter Instagram or
Facebook contests. Since Terrapin is known for their “hoppy”
beer, both of their identifying photos on Twitter feature the
essential beer ingredient that brands Terrapin: hops.
The Terrapin Beer Co. Twitter page has a large following but
only follows a fraction of their audience. This is an area of
opportunity for Terrapin because it would encourage greater
engagement and foster more brand loyalty. Although
Terrapin favorites thousands of tweets from their loyal
audience, the page does not, however, engage often with
customers via replies. Terrapin receives the most retweets
and favorites on posts related to upcoming beer releases.

14. Creature Comforts’ Twitter presence seems to be on par
with that of their Facebook, averaging about 3 posts per day.
Similarly to Facebook, posts vary from photos of upcoming
brew releases to merchandise promotions. CCBC brands
themselves with a hero image of their manifesto, once again:
“Crave Curiosity.” Creature Comforts also frequently posts
about their brew staff outings, which fosters a sense of family
among the masters behind CCBC’s legendary brews. One
unique feature about CCBC’s Twitter presence is their
abundance of curated content. As you can see from the image
below, Creature Comforts frequently retweets and quotes
tweets from local Athens establishments who serve, support,
and mention their craft beers.
Creature Comforts does not frequently reply to customers via
Twitter, but as you can see from the image directly above,
they favorite a considerable number of customers’ tweets.

15. Terrapin utilizes their Instagram to reach
thousands of followers with images of their
seasonal beers, local events and contests, and the
men and women serving samples and leading
tours of the brewery. Images are vibrant, and
captivating, which is a natural promotion without
a pushy sales approach. Terrapin uses Instagram
to give followers a behind the scenes look at how
their hoppy beers come to be, which provides a
humanized approach. Additionally, Terrapin
promotes merchandise and has recently
implemented a contest with the #TBCStealThisArt
encouraging contestants to take a selfie with TBC
branded flyers posted in hidden locations around
Athens. Clues were posted to their Instagram
account daily as to where contestants could find
the posters, and a winner was selected after two
weeks to attend the Hop Harvest Festival.

16. With their simplistic and yet iconic “Crave
Curiosity” logo as their identifying image,
Creature Comforts has a strong Instagram
presence. With an average of 1-2 posts per day,
comparable to their Facebook, CCBC engages
users through photos of their brew staff, new
brews, and hosted events. Just like with Twitter,
CCBC seamlessly curates content from customers
by using the Repost app (pictured bottom left).
This not only allows Creature enthusiasts to create
content for the brewery, but it also fosters healthy
interaction with their audience. On top of that,
Creature Comforts frequently communicates with
their following via comments and replies on their
photos. In a recent collaboration between CCBC
and Automatic Pizza, merchandise and a special
edition pale ale were promoted via banners on
Instagram (pictured left).

17. Terrapin Beer Co. is very active on Google+. With one post per day on average,
Terrapin frequently shares unique content including updates, photos, videos, and
links back to their other social platforms. With the hashtag #HopLoversUnite,
Terrapin used Google+ along with all of their other social platforms to inform
followers of their Hop Harvest Festival event.

18. It seems as though Creature Comforts only utilizes Google+ to be found via Google’s
Map feature. Both CCBC’s Google+ lack of followers and their lack of posts are clear
indicators that this platform is void of any activity.

19. Platform Terrapin Creature
Comforts
Facebook 40,792 12,806
Twitter 47,400 4,778
Instagram 20,500 12,600
Google+ 1,066
(499,473 views)
8
(490,187 views)
Follower Breakdown
As you can see, it is clear that Terrapin’s social following is much more established
than Creature Comforts’. However, having only been in existence for 18 months,
Creature Comforts has a considerable social media following. It’s also important to
note the almost identical number of Google+ page views, indicating almost as many
users looking up Creature Comforts’ location as those Googling Terrapin’s.

20. Evaluation
With very different branding and business purpose, both breweries successfully
capture their respective audiences in unique ways. Terrapin’s quirky and colorful
brand draws in customers from all backgrounds, and Creature Comforts’ mellow and
moody brand encourages customers to be curious and try new things (namely, their
brews). Clearly Terrapin has the edge when it comes to sheer number of followers
and broader audience, but the rustic downtown Athens microbrewery is giving the
craft beer trailblazer a run for its money, particularly in terms of social media.
In terms of website and blog, Creature Comforts takes the gold metal. Not only is
the website very user friendly and easy to navigate, it also houses CCBC’s blog that
they share via their other social platforms. Additionally, it is clear that Creature has
deliberate attention to detail with its organized layout and beautiful photographs
that make their beer come to life via the web. Additionally, Creature Comforts
operates on an appropriate cadence of blog posts, averaging one per month.
Upon comparing Facebook pages, however, Terrapin wins by a landslide. By
utilizing the “sign up” button for their news and updates, Terrapin offers a non-
abrasive, voluntary way to engage with its followers. Terrapin also appropriately
uses Facebook to share varied posts from other social platforms including Instagram
photos and YouTube videos. The page very clearly provides relevant and interesting
content for consumers without being an in-your-face advertisement. The reason
Terrapin is the clear winner, however, is because of their engagement. With prompt
and friendly responses to reviews, comments, and concerns on the page, Terrapin
interacts closely with its audience.

21. On Twitter, once again, Terrapin goes home with the gold. With almost 50,000
followers and a significant amount of curated content, Terrapin provides relevant and
engaging posts to its extensive nationwide audience. Terrapin quotes tweets, retweets,
and favorites many tweets, showing that they are active and present on this platform.
Terrapin could, however, use to develop its response strategy when replying directly to
customers about their experiences in tweets.
With the increasing popularity of Instagram among millennials, it is essential for any
brewery, Georgian or not, to establish its social presence on this platform. But having a
presence is not enough to win this category. It was a tough call because of Terrapin’s use
of an Instagram contest complete with a hashtag and Creature Comforts’ use of the
Report app to engage with customers, but Terrapin ultimately wins this platform.
Because of Terrapin’s digital initiative with #RCBStealThisArt, followers were able to
create content for the brewery and enter a contest in the process.
Once again, Terrapin is absolutely the clear winner when it comes to Google+.
Creature Comforts may have a comparable number of page views, but because of their
lack of engagement on this platform, they are missing out on an opportunity to engage
with customers. Terrapin takes the cake. Terrapin links their Google+ page to their
Instagram as to showcase popular posts and provide extra content for users seeking to
find their brewery and stumbling upon their Google+ page. The only thing Terrapin
could use to develop, however, is its incorporation of curated content. If Terrapin could
showcase posts from outside sources and tell a more unique and interesting story
through that content, they would be a 10/10.
Evaluation Continued

22. Guinness Book of World Records
After scouring multiple social media sites and comparing brand initiatives across platforms,
the winner is obvious. Ultimately, because of their social media maturity, Terrapin goes
down in the Guinness Book of World Records as the winner of a superior digital strategy.
Terrapin Beer Co. has an established customer base with an expanded distribution across the
United States that allows them to leverage a greater reach and audience. Terrapin has clear
goals to engage with customers on Facebook and Instagram via comments and contests. It is
very clear that Terrapin customers are passionate and loyal to the quirky brand given their
social interaction on Terrapin’s platforms, but the only recommendation I could give is for
them to create a more user-friendly, seamless website experience. Overall, Terrapin does a
superior job giving back to their audience via their social platforms.
However, Creature Comforts most certainly deserves an honorable mention. Given the youth
of the Creature Comforts brand, it would be interesting to compare Social Mention numbers a
few years down the line. Creature Comforts entered into the craft brewery market at the peak
of much of the push towards social media, and their Instagram presence is growing at an
encouraging rate. CCBC currently prioritizes sharing images of their brew staff and
unmistakably creates an exclusivity factor; if the brewery prioritized customer engagement on
social media platforms instead, they would be well on their way to greater social media
success. Nonetheless, for being such a young brand, Creature Comforts has breathtaking
photography and a jumpstart on platform initiatives, and it can only go up from here.